Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the West Virginia Legislature, fetched 2026-09-25. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
2026 REGULAR SESSION
Enrolled
Committee Substitute
for
Senate Bill 603
BY SENATORS THORNE, RUCKER, AND HAMILTON
[Passed March 11, 2026; in effect 90 days from
passage (June 9, 2026)]
Enr CS for SB 603
1 AN ACT to amend and reenact §11-1C-3 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating
2 to the Property Valuation Training and Procedures Commission; requiring that one citizen
3 member of the commission have a demonstrated background in, or knowledge of,
4 agriculture; clarifying requirements before an assessor can be nominated; and providing
5 preference when certain requirements are met.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
ARTICLE 1C. FAIR AND EQUITABLE PROPERTY VALUATION.
§11-1C-3. Property valuation training and procedures commission generally; appointment;
term of office; meetings; compensation.
1 (a) There is hereby created, under the Department of Tax and Revenue, a property
2 valuation training and procedures commission which consists of the State Tax Commissioner, or
3 a designee, who shall serve as chairperson of the commission; three county assessors; five
4 citizens of the state, one of which shall be a certified appraiser and one of which, effective upon
5 the first expiration of a citizen member’s term following the amendments made to this section
6 during the regular session of the Legislature, 2026, shall have a demonstrated background in or
7 knowledge of agriculture, as that term is defined in §19-19-2 of this code; and two county
8 commissioners. The assessors, five citizen members, and two county commissioners shall be
9 appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate.
10 (1) For each assessor to be appointed, the West Virginia Assessors Association shall
11 nominate three assessors who are in compliance with the standards approved by the Property
12 Valuation Training and Procedures Commission, no more than two of whom belong to the same
13 political party, and shall submit the list of nominees to the Governor. In selecting the nominees,
14 the association and Governor may give preference to assessors who are designated, licensed,
15 or hold certification through a licensing body or professional organization recognized by the
16 Appraisal Foundation.
1
Enr CS for SB 603
17 (2) For each of the two county commissioners to be appointed, the County Commissioner's
18 Association of West Virginia shall nominate three commissioners, no more than two of whom
19 belong to the same political party, and shall submit the list of nominees to the Governor.
20 (3) Except for the Tax Commissioner, there may not be more than one member from any
21 one county.
22 (4) No more than seven members of the commission may belong to the same political
23 party.
24 (5) Any member of the commission who is a direct party to any dispute before the board
25 shall excuse himself or herself from any consideration or vote regarding the dispute.
26 (b) All members, except the Tax Commissioner, serve four-year terms. Any assessor
27 member and county commissioner member ceases to be a member immediately upon leaving
28 the office of assessor or county commissioner. Members shall remain members of the
29 commission until their successors have been appointed. In case of a vacancy occurring prior to
30 the end of the term of a member, a replacement shall be appointed within 30 days in the same
31 manner as the member was appointed and shall serve until the end of the term of the member so
32 replaced.
33 (c) Meetings shall be at the call of the chairperson or at the written request of any four
34 members, except that the commission shall meet at least twice annually. Assessor members,
35 county commissioner members, and the Tax Commissioner shall serve without compensation,
36 and citizen members shall receive $50 per day for each day of actual service rendered. All
37 members shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses actually incurred in the
38 performance of their duties as members of the commission.
39 (d) The commission shall be funded by an appropriation by the Legislature through a
40 separate line item appropriated to the State Tax Commissioner.
2
Enr CS for SB 603
The Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Delegates hereby
certify that the foregoing bill is correctly enrolled.
...............................................................
Clerk of the Senate
...............................................................
Clerk of the House of Delegates
Originated in the Senate.
In effect 90 days from passage.
...............................................................
President of the Senate
...............................................................
Speaker of the House of Delegates
__________
The within is ................................................ this the...........................................
Day of ..........................................................................................................., 2026.
.............................................................
Governor
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